A paralympic gold medal cyclist visited a primary school in Sible Hedingham to help inspire children to get on their bikes.

Louis Rolfe MBE, 20, visited St Peter’s Primary School, in School Road, to help unveil the school’s new cycle storage area and speak to students about cycling safety as part of Bikeability Week.

After being born ten weeks premature, Cambridge athlete Mr Rolfe developed cerebral palsy and brain condition hydrocephalus.

However he has fought against the odds all of his life and won gold in the cycle team pursuit at the Rio Paralympics in 2016 and a bronze in the 3,000m at the same games.

Julie Harper, headteacher of St Peter’s Primary School, said: “He went around all of the classes in the school and the pupils listened to his story.

“His life is really inspirational and the kids loved meeting him.

“He did not start cycling seriously until he was 11, so it was interesting for our kids to think they could possibly reach that standard some day.

“He prompted many of the older children to re-consider the sport as a competitive possibility.”

On December 31, 2016, Mr Rolfe was awarded an MBE by the Queen in the New Year’s Honours, and received his medal from Prince Charles.

At the school on Monday, the children got a chance to get a closer look at the MBE and his gold and bronze Olympic medals.

St Peter’s hope Mr Rolfe’s influence can help other pupils fall in love with cycling, and in turn get youngsters excited about doing exercise.

Mrs Harper said: “This is the first time for a long time the school has been involved with training children in bike skills. We think it is so important, especially because of the push on what children are eating and them getting enough exercise.

“One of our governors has put up the bike storage facility and we are putting our older children through the Bikeability training.

“With the training and the fact they are already really great kids, we feel they can really get involved in cycling in the future.”